Help me spread my message.
Pledge for Bystander No More on Kickstarter today.
So far, you know me as Katie McDonald the copywriter. But, behind the scenes, I’m actually Katie McDonald the creative writer too. Over the last year and a half, I’ve used my spare time to write an anti-bullying book with a big message for today’s youth.
What’s Bullying Worth to You?
Tears, fear, broken hearts, damaged psyches…death? For years now, we’ve been hearing, seeing and watching bullies hate and torment others in their path. Sometimes it leads to suspensions at school, other times injury, and worst of all, suicide and death.
Just where exactly is our societal “tipping point” when it comes to bullying?
Switching the Focal Point
Although there certainly is tragedy and heart break that make their way into my story, it’s really the tale of a bystander who makes fortune out of misfortune and who inadvertently teaches her readers that being a bystander is just as bad as being a bully.
There’s something that can be done to change what’s happening in our society. And it doesn’t start with the bully. It starts with the bystander.
My Ever-so-Small Contribution to the Conversation
Bullying is a serious problem and it has been for quite some time now. After hearing one heartbreaking story after another about the likes of Amanda Todd, Rehtaeh Parsons, Gregory Spring, Alex Libby (survivor) and so many more, finally something snapped in me and I wanted – needed – to write about it. But instead of writing a what-to-do and what-not-to-do book about bullying, I decided to write a fictional tale in the hopes of creating some small difference through my readers by evoking genuine and powerful emotion.
Let’s Make a Move Through Kickstarter
I’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign with funding options that range from $1 to $300. So if you’re anything like me and you have an insane passion for the topic, you can get involved at any price that suits your budget. I promise you’ll feel good about being part of something that has a strong purpose.
Bystander No More is a novel written for tweens, teens and young adults. It chronicles the high school life of Kaitlyn, a first year student who, although reluctant, finds herself the bystander of a high school bully who’s targeted her best friend. Just when she thinks their troubles are over, tragedy strikes and she finds herself somewhere she never thought she’d be. It takes unspeakable courage and a brilliant idea, but eventually something wonderful happens…
Why I Wrote the Book
As a freelance copywriter in Toronto, it’s my job to help my clients bring their ideas and visions to the forefront of what they’re doing through the use of content. As the years went by, I began to feel compelled to bring my own project to life. It took about a year and a half, but Bystander No More is fully written. And now I need help to publish and get it into the hands of people in Canada, the United States and hopefully the world!
The Senselessness of It All
We’re all on the same earth. We live in the same world. We attend the same schools and shop at the same stores. We share roads, sidewalks, parks and even bathrooms! And yet we do horrible things…
- To be bullies
- To segregate ourselves from one another
- To discriminate, hate and bully our neighbours and fellow classmates
- To go out of our way to make someone else feel bad about who they are or what they look like
It’s the Bystanders Who Have the Power to Change
Although bullies are the source of the problem, bystanders perpetuate it. I’m inviting you to consider the possibility that we may be able to more effectively combat bullying not by targeting the bully, but rather the bystander.
I live in hope that parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers and anyone and everyone else can find it in their hearts to pledge on Kickstarter so that together, we can make a small, yet noteworthy step in the right direction.
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH
